Middle School

The middle school schedule is designed to promote balance between academic learning and our essential enrichment courses. We intentionally engage the students holistically in intellectual, artistic, and physical development. Alternating among the rigorous demands of topics such as physics, algebra, world geography, Spanish, essay writing, and Renaissance history, students start their day while neurological function and focus are high. Intertwined with these academic classes are our notable programs in the visual, practical, physical, and performing arts.

The middle school years are significant as students take on leadership roles in the school, deepen their friendships and understanding of each other, and, as eighth graders, nurture a special buddy relationship with the first graders. The curriculum allows time for important social exploration and development through outdoor free time, field trips, and projects. Social, emotional, artistic, physical, and intellectual capacities intersect and strengthen as each year students in grades 6–8 participate in two major choral and orchestral concerts, a musical or play production, and a collaborative ground-based circus, along with other opportunities to play, sing, or dance at our yearly festivals. The middle school experience is crowned by a year-long independent project: investigating and presenting a topic of their own choosing. Eighth grade is the culmination not only of the middle school experience, but also the whole of the Linden Waldorf curriculum arc, preparing the students to enter high school and beyond as well-rounded, integrated individuals.

We invite you to explore each grade’s curriculum highlights below.

6th grade - The Age of VIRTUE

Main Lesson Blocks

  • Rome

  • Middle Ages

  • World geography

  • Physics

  • Geology/mineralogy

  • Astronomy

  • Business math / economics

  • Geometry


Academic Skills Classes

  • Math
  • Language Arts
    • Latin-based vocabulary
    • Grammar
    • Writing process
       

Spanish

  • Grammar

  • Reading

  • Free translations

Music

  • Middle School Choir
  • Introduction to Gregorian chant and early notation
  • Songs reflecting curriculum: chant, European/Asian
  • Soprano and alto recorder; tenor introduced
  • Music listening across the years

Middle School Orchestra

  • Violin, viola, cello, or double bass
  • Mostly two-octave scales 
  • Four- and five-part music
  • Full orchestra rehearsals and some smaller sectional rehearsals led by student leaders
  • Classical, current works, music from various cultures, and seasonal music
     

Practical and Fine Arts

  • Geometric drawing

  • Painting

  • Calligraphy

  • Drama

  • Woodwork

  • Clay modeling

  • Mosaics

  • Soft-fiber sculpture

Movement

  • Introduction to zone sports and archery with an increased focus on strategy and individual skills
  • Net games, ball games, frisbee
  • Medieval games
  • Folk dancing, Morris dance with swords and/or staves
  • Circus apprenticeship (juggling, rola bola, plate spinning, poi, pyramids)
7th grade - The Age of PERSPECTIVE

Main Lesson Blocks

  • Age of exploration and colonization

  • Reformation

  • Renaissance

  • World geography

  • Physics

  • Creative writing

  • Inorganic chemistry

  • Physiology

  • Algebra


Academic Skills Classes

  • Math
  • Language Arts
    • Latin-based vocabulary
    • Grammar
    • Writing process
       

Spanish

  • Reading and conversation
  • Grammar and structural drills
  • Poetry
  • Vocabulary
  • Art and geography
     

Music

  • Middle School Choir 
  • Songs reflecting curriculum: Renaissance music, African songs, madrigals
  • Soprano, alto, tenor, and bass recorder
  • African drumming
  • Music listening including Harlem Renaissance

Middle School Orchestra

  • Violin, viola, cello, or double bass
  • Mostly two-octave scales
  • Four- and five-part music
  • Full orchestra rehearsals and some smaller sectional rehearsals led by student leaders
  • Classical, current works, music from various cultures, and seasonal music
     

Practical and Fine Arts

  • Perspective drawing

  • Painting

  • Drama

  • Woodwork

  • Clay modeling

  • Felting

  • Three-dimensional hand-sewing
     

Movement

  • Intermediate individual and team sports (archery, net games, ball games) with an increased focus on teamwork, strategy, and individual skills

  • Folk dancing

  • Circus journeymen (hone circus skills: juggling, rola bola, stilt walking, etc.)

8th grade - The Age of BEGINNINGS

Main Lesson Blocks

  • American history/civics

  • Revolutions

  • Short story

  • World geography

  • Anatomy

  • Meteorology

  • Chemistry

  • Physics

  • Platonic solids

Academic Skills Classes

  • Math
  • Language Arts
    • Latin-based vocabulary
    • Grammar
    • Writing process
       

Spanish

  • Reading and conversation

  • Grammar and structural drills

  • Poetry

  • Vocabulary

  • Art and geography

  • Oral presentations
     

Music

  • Middle School Choir

  • Songs reflecting curriculum: South American, revolutionary songs, protest songs

  • Music listening including a range of styles, composers, and musical periods

  • Composer biographies

  • Soprano, alto, tenor, and bass recorder

Middle School Orchestra

  • Violin, viola, cello, or double bass
  • Mostly two-octave scales
  • Four- and five-part music
  • Full orchestra rehearsals and some smaller sectional rehearsals led by student leaders
  • Classical, current works, music from various cultures, and seasonal music


Practical and Fine Arts

  • Charcoal drawing

  • Painting

  • Drama

  • Woodwork

  • Clay modeling

  • Machine sewing


Movement

  • Individual and team sports (archery, net games, ball games, Ultimate frisbee) with an increased focus on teamwork, strategy, and individual skills

  • Folk dancing

  • Circus masters (honing circus skills as well as helping to write and direct the Circus)